Yankees add two to 40-man roster
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- October
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As players declare free agency, the Yankees will add players to the 40-man roster for the purpose of protecting them from the Rule 5 draft. Here’s a release from the team today:
The New York Yankees announced today they have added left-handed pitcher Wilkin De La Rosa and right-handed pitcher Eric Hacker to the 40-man roster.
De La Rosa, 23, was 9-4 with a 2.11 ERA (106.2IP, 72H, 35R, 25ER, 44BB, 125K) in 32 combined games (11 starts) with Single-A Charleston and Single-A Tampa in 2008, ranking fifth in the organization in strikeouts. He began the season in the bullpen and was 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA (49.1IP, 15ER) in 21 relief appearances. In his 11 starts, he went 6-3 with a 1.82 ERA (59.1IP, 12ER), limiting opponents to 2ER or less in each start.
Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in November 2001, De La Rosa was converted to a pitcher in 2007, going 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 relief appearances with the GCL Yankees in his first action on the mound (24.0IP, 32K). The Dominican Republic native played his first five professional seasons (2002-06) as an outfielder, batting a combined .224 with three home runs and 88 RBI in 287 games.
Hacker, 25, was 9-6 with a 2.43 ERA (144.1IP, 121H, 47R, 39ER, 37BB, 115K) in 26 combined starts with Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2008, ranking second in the organization in ERA. He limited opponents to three runs or less in all but one start, including a stretch of four straight starts without giving up an earned run from 4/8-24 w/ Tampa (27.0IP, 7H, 2R, 2BB, 18K). On 4/8 vs. Dunedin (TOR), in his second start of the season (w/ Tampa), he threw 7.0 no-hit innings but did not record a decision. Hacker went 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two postseason starts for the Double-A champion Trenton Thunder, recording the win in Game 1 of the Eastern League Division Series and Game 1 of the Championship Series.
In six minor league seasons (2002-08), Hacker owns a 30-15 record with a 2.70 ERA in 75 games (67 starts). He was selected by the Yankees in the 23rd round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft.
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on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 8:04 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
Lets you know what they think of the two they protected. We’ll have to keep a better eye on them.
Hacker? There has to be the makings of a good nickname there…
Maybe as a hitter… or a golfer
De La Rosa is one of the most intriguing guys in the organization. Glad to see him protected.
This is the 1st of a few more moves for the 40-man roster before space is needed to add free agents.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....p?c_id=nyy
“Hacker got ‘em hacking!” I can hear Sterling now….
Wilkens de la rosa has very similar comparisons to johan santana
Gee I wonder who first hinted at that
2 interesting development tales.
De La Rosa with his late conversion to pitching, Hacker with almost no action prior to 2007 due to injuries. Hacker threw less than 100 innings from 2003 through 2006 – none in ‘04 or ‘06 – despite being a starter the whole time. Perhaps a good sign for possible rebounds for Horne and Garcia, the latter throwing only just over 100 innings in last 3 seasons.
Rule 5 protection is gonna be a sticky thing – lots of good pitchers that could be taken, particularly relievers. Just not enough roster spots. But hopefully most will have to be taken in the majors phase, where they may have to be returned. Cox, Jackson, Kroenke, Whelan, Dunn, Claggett are all eligible – and relievers are an easier target to hang on to. It’s this glut that keeps Melancon off the 40 – he’s not eligible for the draft this year, so he won’t hit the 40 until he hits NY or after ‘09.
I hope they dont lose Jonathan Ortiz who was not left protected. He domininated at Low A Charleston as the team’s closer … his stats were amazing.
I can see him starting next year at High A Tampa and moving quickly thru the organization … it is funny how no one ever mentions this kid.
Ortiz’s case points out an inequity in the signing system. With Dominican /Venezuelen kids not so likely to enter college, they sign young, play in their national development leagues, but are eligible for Rule 5 when they’re in A ball and lower. There should be some exemption for time spent in DSL / VSL up to a point, maybe 2 years, depending on age at signing.
Ortiz was signed in ‘04 at age 19 but didn’t play until ‘05, played ‘05 and ‘06 in DSL. A kid like this in the US would still be in HS or can go to college. Expecting young uneducated Latin kids to enter the US minors system at that point is a lot to ask. Perhaps there is some exemption I’m unaware of, since so many decent prospects signed young spend multiple seasons in their home leagues, but I’m not aware of such.
Good point though Stu. I too have been impressed with his performance yet never see him mentioned. His numbers are comparable to De La Rosa’s – together they anchored Charleston’s pen until DLR was promoted and converted to starting.
Also – that Ortiz or others aren’t protected yet doesn’t mean they won’t be, but the Yanks need to open more roster spots to accomodate other additions. Shelly, Christian, Rasner, Giese, Betemit, Ransom and Britton could be dropped from the roster, and there are more FA’s yet to file (Pettitte, Moose, Pavano, Giambi), and spaces will need to be held open for FA signings.
Lots yet to happen.